Vital Signs
by Keersten
Summary: Probably the only fan-fiction I will ever write. I don't even consider myself a writer; I just had to get this out of my system. This game's fascinating unfinished story has often occupied my daydreams ever since playing it. My addition is a shamelessly sentimental piece of crap, but I loved writing every word of it, and hopefully it will entertain a few people.
1. Chapter 1

Monkey suspected the stillness was hiding something deadly. He had accompanied Trip on several scavenging trips before, always wary for the soft, telltale whoosh or clink of lurking mechs. By now he could usually detect them while they were still hundreds of yards away, even beneath the constant drone of insects and chattering of birds. But today the life that usually teemed around them was muffled and distant, the air stiflingly calm. His blood swooshed steadily in his ears. Sunlight filtered through verdant overhanging leaves and bathed them both in sticky, close warmth. "Almost there, Monkey." Trip pointed to a blinking dot on the map of her databand's holo-projection. Their destination would likely be around the next poison-ivy-smothered brick corner. They had woven their way through an especially overgrown section of Dead Boston to find a veritable treasure trove; a huge electronics recycling warehouse. Once there he planned to keep watch at the crumbling entry while she gleefully burrowed into heaps of dusty plastic and gleaming wires for scrap parts.

They never reached the warehouse. Trip's startled gasp and the whoosh of the mech's hydraulics were the only warning Monkey had. It wasn't enough. He whirled around just in time to see its bayonet impale Trip, the tip of the blade emerging from her back. A millisecond too late, Monkey blasted the mech's head off with a bolt of plasma from his staff, its arm sliding out of Trip's chest as it collapsed. As he ran to her, she hunched over, staring at the wound, her jaw slack with disbelief. He dove the last couple feet and caught her, calling her name as she sank to her knees. He pressed hard on the wound but blood was seeping from her chest with every heartbeat. Her face was numb, eyes drifting vacantly. He was about to die with her. Monkey had always been terrified of this moment, but now he felt obscenely calm and detached, as if he were watching the scene unfold from afar. Every breath was an effort for her now. "I'm sorry… never should've…I'm sorry I lied." "What're you -" His voice came out as a strange croak. He could see her breathing and heart rates on his heads-up display slowing as her life drained crimson through his fingers. Her head slowly lolled back but her eyes found his. "Termination trigger… shut it down… while you were asleep … you'll be ok … after I'm gone… I promise…" Monkey felt something cave away inside him. A bottomless chasm had opened up. It was going to swallow him whole from the inside. This was not how it was supposed to go. He was not supposed to get stuck here without her; not supposed to be alone anymore. "No-" "I'm sorry..." "Trip…" "sorry." "Trip…"Within seconds her vitals faded to nothing. As her body went limp, Monkey's tensed. It was an involuntary reflex he'd developed over the years. Tense your whole being as hard as iron. That way your enemies won't see you tremble. The pointlessness of it hit Monkey like a physical blow to the gut, knocking the breath out of him. Death would not be fooled by appearances. No amount of bluffing or posturing to hide his agony would bring her back. He suddenly realized he was sobbing, and embracing her the way he'd always wished he'd had the courage to before. When she was alive. But Trip was gone. And he was alone again.

Monkey jolted awake in the dark. Agony dissolved into dizzying relief tempered by exhaustion. Breathless and bleary-eyed, he swung his leaden feet over the side of his bed, rubbing his eyes and his forehead, where his headband used to rest. Damn these dreams, he thought. They'd started the night Trip had killed Pyramid and his headband had deactivated. The nightmares always involved her vital signs stopping. He'd grown accustomed to the visibility of her breathing and heart rates in the corner of his vision. Their constant activity must have worked their way into his dreams, and now some primal part of his nervous system could not comprehend why these signs of Trip's life had disappeared. He needed to ask her to get the headband working again. He knew she'd love the challenge of the task, but he'd been putting off asking her until he could come up with a better cover story. He didn't fancy the idea of telling her he regularly woke up bawling like a child over her, and he was convinced that if he just told her he wanted to monitor her vitals, he'd come off as invasively overprotective at best, or downright creepy at worst. Mine detection would sound legitimate enough. After all, there were plenty of those left in some of the scavenging areas they frequented. He had promised her he'd help her repair a section of the outer defenses today. Might as well get started. Monkey opened the door and strode out into the chill early morning fog.


	2. Chapter 2

By afternoon, rainclouds were threatening, so Monkey and Trip were endeavoring to work at a brisk pace. They stood on a scaffold, shoring up a weak spot on one of the higher bridge sections. Hammering reverberated in the distance as former slaves worked to rebuild other sections of town. Trip paused to wipe the sweat out of her eyes. It had been a muggy day but she could already feel a faint cooling breeze from the approaching cold front. It brought something gently floral to her nose, but she couldn't quite place it. She turned around. From up here she could see villagers planting vegetable and berry seedlings. Old friends from town worked alongside the few newcomers from Pyramid who'd had no families or villages to return to. She shielded her eyes against the brilliant glare of white cloud cover, squinting to make out colors and shapes, and realized they were planting not just crops, but wildflowers dug up from the surrounding mountainsides. Lupine (she recognized the scent now), fireweed and even harebell, her favorite. Beauty and peace were finally, slowly returning to her home. She turned to point out the flowers to Monkey but her face fell when she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and haggard look about his face.

"Monkey, are you ok? You look really tired today."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just havin' a little trouble sleepin' lately."

Monkey changed the subject before she could ask why or offer advice.

"Hey, can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure!"

"Is there any way you could re-tool that headband so I could keep usin' it? Y'know, for mine-detection and stuff."

"Absolutely! I can easily disable the systemic pain response and termination trigger. I bet I could install a piezoelectric-nanogenerator and get the wireless link to the dragonfly back up and running…" The smile had returned to her face. She continued to ramble on about strain fields and charge separation and other things he knew nothing about. Monkey smiled wryly. He would never let on, but secretly he didn't mind when she went into techno-babble mode. Just hearing her voice was worth the confusion.


	3. Chapter 3

Trip could spend hours at a time fiddling with these sorts of projects. She loved the intricacies involved in fashioning her own inventions and modifications, whether they actually worked, or almost blew up in her face. It had only taken her about an hour and a half to install a power source in the headband. Disabling the pain response was simply a matter of a few keystrokes. She had never told Monkey she deactivated the termination trigger long ago, shortly after enslaving him. The only reason she had activated it in the first place was to prevent his killing her. The first time she clapped eyes on him he had been about as disarming as a rampaging dog mech. But after less than a day together Trip had caught a glimpse of something almost like gentleness in him... When it was her turn to keep watch that night, she had seized the opportunity to disable the death-trigger while he slept. She couldn't stomach the idea of him senselessly dying with her if something happened. Still, she had left the disciplinary pulse active. Hours earlier she had offered him a home in her town. Silence had been his only reply, but it stung as much as if he'd said "no". She wouldn't have blamed him for hating her, so she hadn't been able to trust him not to abandon her. From then on she had constantly reminded herself that his apparent concern for her could well be entirely based on her lie of omission.

Until the last stretch of their journey to Pyramid. From the moment Trip had met Monkey, her mind had been constantly preoccupied with avoiding imminent death. But the total safety of the Leviathan offered no escape from her own searing thoughts and the awful reality of what she had done. How horrifyingly naïve she'd been. Monkey had become an invincible force of nature in her eyes, handily taking out mechs left and right everywhere they went. But the truth was, he could have died each time he fought for her, and now they were headed to the very source of the slavers themselves. The slavers who had managed to catch Monkey in the first place. The slavers that had murdered his parents years ago and destroyed Trip's entire life. Her rage over her father's murder had all but blinded her to anything but revenge, and she couldn't achieve it without Monkey's help. But her already smoldering conscience had become an absolute torment after she reneged on her deal to set him free. She knew she had to give him the option to back out of the suicide mission she'd taken him on.

Only when she had tried to release him, he insisted she turn the headband back on. She still didn't know how to process that moment. She didn't deserve a shred of loyalty after what she had put him through, much less this terrifying willingness to die with her. It was baffling, and only compounded the guilt she still bore. Worse still, she'd had to keep up her lie. She had a feeling it would cut him to the core if he knew the truth, and she had been relieved when the death of Pyramid removed the headbands' power source. Even so, she missed their audio link and the almost effortless teamwork it allowed. Re-configuring the headband felt like a chance at a fresh start. No more lies.


	4. Chapter 4

The early evening clouds in the west were just starting to tinge pink, casting a warm glow over the town. As Trip approached Monkey's door, she raised her hand to knock but it opened before she had the chance. "Hey, Trip. How'd it go with the headband?" His expression reminded her of a hopeful little boy about to receive a birthday present. "All the functions are still intact. Everything except the pain, and possible death that is," She knew Monkey's dark sense of humor, and that he would find the remark amusing, but internally she cringed with shame. No matter how many times Monkey assured her he held no grudges about the past, she couldn't shake off the remorse. He simply smirked and said "Well, let's fire that puppy up and see if it works." She reached up to fit the headband on his head, and had to suppress the urge to caress his face as she lowered her hands. She noticed her heart racing just like it always did in moments like these and froze. Her heartbeat. The headband. What if he noticed?

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Oh! Um- well, I just realized my vital signs are still programmed into the headband, and it's not really necessary…"

"Oh, no worries! Hell, I don't mind; what do I care? Heh…"

"But it's just going to… you know, take up space. Wouldn't it… I don't know… get annoying after a while?" She suppressed an extreme urge to fidget awkwardly.

Monkey shrugged. "Aw, who cares, just activate it! I won't even notice it," he lied.

Trip had to think fast. If she activated the headband, Monkey might notice she was attracted to him, and that just didn't bear thinking about.

"Well, what if I added some modifications to it? I could add a weather detection sensor-"

"Trip, no offense, but if I wanna know the weather, I'll look out the window or just go outside."

"But…"

"I'm sure it's fine the way it is; would you just re-activate it?!" Monkey sounded annoyed now.

"N-No!" It was not anger but nervousness that left her spluttering. "If you think my ideas are so dumb, then…then why don't you reprogram your _own_ damn headband!" She turned and began to storm off. She was only truly angry at herself. A weather detection sensor? She couldn't come up with a more believable excuse? Hopeless.

Monkey stared after her and agonized for a moment. There was no way out. The thought of enduring even one more night-mare made his blood run cold. He had to at least try to get her to reactivate the headband, even if it meant spilling his mortifying secret.

"Trip, wait!"

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry. You can add the weather function tomorrow, just please, for now, can you activate the headband? …I need it tonight."

She turned an incredulous face to him. "Wait, you're going out scavenging _now?_ It'll be dark soon!"

"No, that's … that's not why I need it. The truth is…" Swallowing did nothing to relieve the dryness in his throat. "The real reason I wanted the headband back wasn't for mine detection." He winced. "Aw man, you're gonna think I'm a creep." Now he was the one fidgeting.

All at once it dawned on Trip. Her vital signs were exactly what he wanted the headband for. But why? Curiosity mingled with a vague, confusing excitement and Trip quickly squashed the butterflies starting to gather in her middle.

"Was it my vital signs?" She shook her head. "But…"

"I know, I know. It's weird and creepy. I shouldn't have asked. I'm-I'm sorry, I just…"

"No! I don't think it's creepy… I mean I guess it is a little weird... I'm just … a little confused, I mean... Why is it so urgent that you want to reactivate it tonight?"

"I just ... got so used to seeing your vitals all the time. Now that they're not there, I've been havin' some pretty messed up dreams. Dreams about your heart stopping." Even yards away Trip could see the pain in his face. "If I could see it again …" He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to find the right words, and finally looked up at her again. "It would just be reassuring, ya know? I understand if it makes you uncomfortable. We don't have to reactivate it if you don't want to."

The familiar guilt came crashing in on her with renewed fury. What had she done to him? She had to fix this, no matter what. She had told herself she was keeping her distance to preserve their friendship, but she knew he would never abandon her. He'd made that quite obvious long ago. Her real fear was that he viewed her as some sort of little sister. So what if he did? At worst she would simply embarrass herself and things would be a little awkward for a while. Meanwhile Monkey was suffering because of her. She knew what must be done.

"It's … not that it makes me uncomfortable, I just… I guess I have a confession to make too." No going back now. Trip felt a cold sweat break out on her lower back. "My real reason for wanting to take my biometrics off the headband was…I was…" Trip tried to look at Monkey but couldn't meet his eyes for more than a second at a time. "I was afraid you'd notice that … myheartbeatsfasterwhenyou'renearme." Trip mumbled the last phrase as quickly and quietly as possible while looking away and trying her best not to blush beet red.

"Wait… You were afraid I'd notice _what_ when I'm near you?"

Trip could not believe she was about to do this. "Let me show you." She tapped a few keys on her databand. A small silhouette of Trip sprang to life in the bottom left corner of Monkey's vision. It was complete with tiny graphs depicting her current breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure and even body temperature.

Monkey tilted his head, switching a confused, squinty gaze between her and his headband's display of her vital signs as he walked closer to her. When he finally noticed her heart racing on his display his eyes widened with surprise. "Oh…" he said in quiet fascination. "that…" He was only a foot or so from her now.

"I-I should go…" Trip stuttered.

Monkey was so spell-bound by Trip's accelerated heart rate that he almost let her turn and dart away.

"Hey!" But on a sudden impulse Monkey reached out and clasped her hand before she could take more than a few steps. "If it makes you feel any better… the same thing happens to me…" He pressed her hand against his heart. Trip could feel it thumping as fast as her own. He was gazing at her the same way he had in the control room of the Leviathan, just before she'd tried to deactivate the headband; a slight smile, eyes half-lidded. How had she missed it before? His face radiated affection. She felt weak-kneed and slightly dizzy. No. No, she didn't deserve this. Not after everything she'd done to him. She jerked her hand away. "Monkey, what if you wouldn't feel this way if I hadn't enslaved you? I forced you to stay by my side for so long; how is that fair to you?"

Monkey grabbed her shoulder, his brows knitted in consternation. "Trip, do you have _any_ idea what I was before you ... put this thing on me? I had no one. Not one person gave a damn about me, so I sure as hell didn't give a damn for anyone else." His face grew dark. "I would've abandoned you. My life never would've..." He just exhaled a short breath and shook his head slightly. His eyes were glistening now, and his breath came short and halting, his voice just above a whisper. He cupped her face gingerly in his huge hands. "I didn't think kindness … gentleness … love… could survive in this world 'til I met you. Don't _ever_, for one second, doubt my love is real." And then he was kissing away the tears sliding down her burning cheeks. Trip had never believed a guilt as heavy as hers could just evaporate into thin air. But right now she felt impossibly light, almost ethereal. Before she could recover from the shock, the rain clouds of the afternoon made good on their threat. Thunder cracked overhead, startling them both out of their reverie. A smattering of raindrops became a downpour within seconds. Monkey wrapped an arm protectively around Trip and they ran inside his house together, shutting the door tight behind them. They were both breathless and slightly damp now, but neither of them much cared. Trip had begun to tremble slightly, from more than just the chill. Monkey snatched a blanket from his bed, wrapped it around her and held her close. Her quivering slowly subsided as his body heat seeped into her. Her head rested against his chest and she could once again feel his heart pounding, this time against her cheek. "See?" he said. "Nothin' to be embarrassed about." After a moment she craned her neck to look at him and a sudden smile lit up his face. "Trip…Can I listen to your real heartbeat?" Trip tapped a few keys to deactivate the headband, and slid it off of Monkey's head. When he knelt on the floor he was so tall Trip didn't even have to bend over to let his head rest against her heart. His breath felt warm on her shoulder and his hair tickled her neck. After a few moments he gently grasped her around her legs and waist and stood up so she was braced against him, her toes a full three feet off the floor. He looked up adoringly into her eyes, and Trip couldn't help herself anymore. She kissed him full on the lips. They were so much softer than she'd expected… "Monkey… you could listen to my heartbeat all night if it'll keep those nightmares away," she whispered. Monkey suddenly felt exhausted, now that he could stop putting up the brave front he had for the past few weeks. "Now that sounds like a plan," he said, with a tired smile. Without so much as letting her feet touch the floor he carried her to his bed, wearily crawled in with her and nuzzled his head onto her chest. Trip rested her cheek on his head, and basked in the rich, euphoric warmth emanating from him. He stroked the delicate skin where her neck and shoulder met, so softly his calluses sent little shivers up her spine. She felt herself settling into a serene trance. Eventually his fingers stopped moving, his breath deepening and slowing as the soft rhythm of her heart lulled him to peaceful slumber. Trip had a feeling his nightmares were never coming back.


End file.
